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I was asked to gather information about student leavers – where they are going, etc. as well as some “factoids” about the student. Yes, Factoids. One of my more intelligent students actually did what I normally have to scream at them to do – research.

Hi,

Here is the leavers form. I am curious on why the word “factoid” is involved. As factoid means ‘a questionable or spurious—unverified, incorrect, or fabricated—statement presented as a fact, but with no veracity. The word can also be used to describe a particularly insignificant or novel fact, in the absence of much relevant context.[1] The word is defined by the Compact Oxford English Dictionary as “an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact”

So surely this would be wrong, however i am sure you have your reasons.

So I sent this to my boss who had asked for the factoids. This was the reply.

Ha! Humour…a way of students thinking about interesting facts about themselves beyond the usual boring’ I like skateboarding’ etc….
Use any word you like as long as it draws out something that is a bit more individual and dynamic that reveals talents, achievements, claims to fame etc……wing walking, champion trial biker, singer etc…

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